I have been thinking a lot about science instruction lately. A lot.
Really, I have been spending so much time thinking about science that here I am, completely posting out of turn. I can’t help myself. I just need your opinions.
What science program do you use with your homeschoolers? Are there programs you have used in the past that you loved or hated? Why?
We are using something this year, but I’m just not entirely sure about it. So, I wanted to hear what you all had to say about science.
I hope that you will take just a moment to come here and comment about your experiences with science programs (good and bad).
When Angie isn’t sitting around wondering if she has picked all of the right materials for her kids, she can be found writing at Many Little Blessings.
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We're currently using Apologia Science – Astronomy. My husband loves it. We'll definitely be using their other Science books.
I've tried quite a few and been sorely disappointed.
Last year I used Harcourt (public school curriculum) and this year I will be using McGraw-Hill (another public school curriculum).
I found them both on Ebay and by searching ISBN numbers at gettextbooks.com and the pricing is VERY reasonable.
I've been extremely pleased because I know we are covering state-standard materials thoroughly, my daughter is engaged by the material (beautiful books, great text) and she is learning and retaining information.
Like so many other subjects, I wing it when it comes to science.
One year I was given the chance to borrow a friend's set of NOEO Biology I, and although it seemed helpful to have the schedule set out for me, I found myself almost immediately substituting books we already had at home for the ones on their list, supplementing the provided experiments with some I'd seen online, and tweaking the written schedule to fit our family.
In the end, I decided that NOEO was not worth the cost – for ~my~ family – because I wound up rewriting most of it anyway!
For my first grader, we are using Apologia Zoology 3, and I love it. We're also using the 8th grade Physical Science. We love that all the experiments use common household supplies!
Something else I was looking into and would like to try one day is Living Learning Books.
Another book we use is The Handbook of Nature Study, by Anna Comstock. We use it once every couple of weeks and draw or write in their nature study journals. I am thinking of using this as my younger daughter's main curriculum next year.
I had mentioned before of my distaste for CHC science materials but I guess I was only referring to their Universe in My Hands. I was doing science w/ my daughter the other day and thought, man do I love this science (it was CHC science in the lesson plans for 4th grade). We do supplement w/ the secular Harcourt text – we got a good deal on them at a homeschool fair, and they are great for information. Third grade CHC is Behold and See and that's a great Christian offering w/ lots of visuals and info and easy, cheap experiments to do at home. God Bless your homeschool journey.
Toni — are you using the Behold and See 3 (we used that last year) or the new Behold and See 4?
Did not know there was a Behold and See 4! How exciting, where can I look into that?? Also, I forgot we also supplement w/ Mr. Wizards World videos. You can find them at Seton, but if you don't want to buy them, just ask your local library to order them like I did, now they are available to all our homeschool coop families!
Well for my 1st grader we are using Apologia land animals, so far We think it is great. I think we will be using more of their books in the future.
We love Dinah Zikes Great Science Adventures and at the moment Ellen McHenry's The Elements- http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/
I haven't found one I like yet. My daughter is in kindergarten, so I'm kind of just winging it right now.
you can check out Queen Homeschool Supplies and get their free catalog to look through. tons of awesome "living" books and really high on my list of curriculum.
I also love My Father's World for my K-1 child.
We started this year with a free curriculum found through another blog called Classic Science, Elementary Life Science. You can check it out here: http://www.eequalsmcq.com/. My soon to be 6 and I have been enjoying it so far. They also have 3 other ones costing each $50 (Earth Science, Physical Science and Chemistry).